Question

Please review the steps of patient preparation to ECG procedure from your textbook and explain it in your own words

Answer 1

Steps of patient preparation to perform ECG procedure.

1-Make sure the temperature in the room is comfortable for the patient. If the room is too cold, the patient may shiver causing artifact or muscle tremors on the ECG.

2-Female patients should remove tights and should be offered a cover for their chest once the electrodes and ECG leads are placed and connected.

3-Male patients with hairy chests may require to have the electrode areas shaved, with permission, to ensure good skin contact.

4-The skin should be cleaned and dried, according to local protocol, before placing the electrodes.

5-The patient should be supine on the couch. If this is not possible due to breathless or back problems, then the couch back may be raised and this noted on the ECG.

6-Limb electrodes must be placed on the limbs - not the trunk.Ideally arm electrodes at the wrist and limb electrodes at the ankles

7-After each recording the electrodes and ECG leads should be cleaned.

8-In the case of an amputee place the electrode at the point furthest away but ensure that the electrodes on the other limb is positioned at the same level.